Vertical steamer

ABSTRACT

A vertical steamer for flavoring a bird during cooking in a closed cooker includes a hollow frustum bottom having a closed flat base. The cooker further includes a hollow cylindrical top having an open end and a plurality of circular openings located in the cylindrical top.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to a vertical steamer and, morespecifically, to a vertical steamer having a frustum bottom and an opencylindrical top for cooking a whole bird such as, for example, chicken,turkey, hen by placing the bird upright over the open cylindrical top ofthe steamer.

2. History of Related Art

Birds such as, for example, chickens are usually cooked by either beingroasted in a baking dish or being placed on a rotary spit within anoven. Many people prefer the chicken to be cooked on a rotary spitinstead of resting on a baking dish. However, by cooking the chicken onthe rotary spit, the juices drip off the chicken sometimes causing thechicken to become dry.

Another method of cooking a whole chicken involves placing the chickenupright over a container of liquid. More specifically, the chicken isplaced over an open beer can and roasted inside a closed cooker. Theheat from the closed cooker causes the liquid in the can such as, forexample, beer to vaporize causing the vapors from the liquid in the canto be released inside the chicken, contributing flavor and moisture tothe chicken while the chicken cooks. However, cooking the chicken byplacing the chicken upright on the beer can does not always work becausethe chicken can topple over while being cooked.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved steamer which allows a wholebird such as, for example, chicken, turkey, hen to be placed uprightover the open cylindrical top of the steamer for cooking the bird andcontributing flavor and moisture to the bird from the liquid placedinside the steamer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A vertical steamer for flavoring a bird during cooking in a closedcooker including a hollow frustum bottom having a closed flat base. Thecooker further includes a hollow cylindrical top having an open end anda plurality of circular openings located in the cylindrical top.

An alternate embodiment includes a vertical steamer for flavoring a birdduring cooking in a closed cooker including a hollow frustum bottomhaving a closed flat base. The cooker further includes a hollowcylindrical top having an open end and a plurality of steam jets locatedin the cylindrical top. The above summary of the invention is notintended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the presentinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the presentinvention may be obtained by reference to the following DetailedDescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vertical steamer according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the vertical steamer according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a is a top view of the vertical steamer according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A of FIG. 3 with achicken placed on the steamer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiment(s) of the invention will now be described more fully withreference to the accompanying Drawings. The invention may, however, beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiment(s) set forth herein. The invention should only beconsidered limited by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-5thereof, a novel vertical steamer embodying the principles and conceptsof the present invention and generally designated by the referencenumeral 10 will be described.

FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical steamer 10 comprising a unitary wallstructure including a hollow frustum bottom 12 connected to a hollowcylindrical top 14. According to embodiments of the present invention,the hollow frustum bottom 12 is formed from a part of a hollow conicalor pyramidal shape which is left by cutting off a top portion by a planeparallel to the base. The hollow frustum bottom 12 includes a closedflat base 16 which is integrally attached around its perimeter to abottom edge of a side wall 32 of the hollow frustum bottom 12. Thehollow cylindrical top 14 includes an open end 18. The cylindrical top14 includes an inner surface 28 and an outer surface 30 of a side wall31 which is integrally attached to a top of the hollow frustum bottom12.

As further depicted in FIG. 1, the side wall 31 of the hollowcylindrical top 14 of the vertical steamer 10 further includes aplurality of circular openings 20, 22, 24, 26. According to anembodiment of the present invention, the plurality of circular openings20, 22, 24, 26 are located approximately ¼″ below a top peripheral edge34 of the open end 18 of the cylindrical top 14 and are approximately ¼″in diameter. In one embodiment of the present invention, the verticalsteamer 10 includes four circular openings 20, 22, 24, 26 in the sidewall 31 of the cylindrical top 14. Although the vertical steamer 10 isdisclosed as including four circular openings 20, 22, 24, 26, it will beappreciated that the vertical steamer 10 according to the presentinvention can include any number of circular openings such as, forexample, two, three, four, five, etc.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality ofcircular openings 20, 22, 24, 26 are formed such that circular openings20, 24 and 22, 26 are oriented opposite one another. The plurality ofcircular openings 20, 22, 24, 26 are utilized for a variety of purposesincluding vapor release, fluid release, air flow, drainage, display,etc. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pluralityof circular openings 20, 22, 24, 26 allow vapors from a heated liquidplaced inside the hollow frustum bottom 12 of the vertical steamer 10 tobe applied to the inside of the chicken, contributing flavor andmoisture to the chicken while the chicken cooks after being placedinside a closed cooker. Thus, the plurality of circular openings 20, 22,24, 26 according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention canalso be referred to as a plurality of steam jets 20, 22, 24, 26 forallowing vapors from the heated liquid to be applied to the inside ofthe chicken while the chicken cooks after being placed inside the closedcooker.

The vertical steamer includes a unitary one piece wall structure (formedof walls 31, 32 and base 16) that can be made of various materials whichare flame resistant and heat resistant. In one embodiment of the presentinvention, the vertical steamer 10 can be made from a material that isheat resistant, hygienic, easy to clean, e.g., ceramic. Although thevertical steamer 10 is disclosed as being formed of ceramic, it will beappreciated that the vertical steamer 10 according to the presentinvention can be formed from a variety of different materials such as,for example, aluminum, steel, glass, porcelain, stoneware, and the like.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the vertical steamer 10 according tothe present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates at least one circular opening22 of the plurality of circular openings 22, 24, 26, 28 on the wall 31of the cylindrical top 14 of the vertical steamer 10. FIG. 2 furtherillustrates the vertical steamer 10 having a flat base 16 which isintegrally attached around its perimeter to the bottom edge of the sidewall 32 of the hollow frustum bottom 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the vertical steamer according to thepresent invention. FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken alonglines A-A of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 illustrates the vertical steamer 10 having aflat base 16 which is integrally attached around its perimeter to abottom edge of a side wall 32 of the hollow frustum bottom 12. FIG. 4further illustrates the plurality of circular openings 20, 24, 26. FIG.5 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A of FIG. 3with a chicken placed on the vertical steamer 10.

With reference to FIG. 1-5, the manner of using the vertical steamer 10will be described. The hollow frustum bottom 12 of the vertical steamer10 is adapted to be filled with a flavoring liquid such as, for example,oil, fruit juice, beer, wine, or a marinate. A bird such as, forexample, chicken, turkey, hen or the like is placed over the cylindricaltop 14 of the vertical steamer such that the cavity of the bird sits onthe cylindrical top 14 surrounding the plurality of circular openings22, 24, 26, 28. The cylindrical top 14 of the vertical steamer 10 holdsthe bird upright and the bottom 12 provides stability. The verticalcooker 10 with the bird placed over the cylindrical top 14 is placedinside a closed cooker for roasting the chicken. The closed cooker maybe, for example, a kitchen oven, a charcoal grill, a smoker, a roaster,a kamado cooker or the like.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the heat from theclosed cooker causes the flavoring liquid to heat up. The heated liquidtravels through the cylindrical top 14 of the vertical cooker infusingthe bird with flavor and moisture while evenly cooking the bird frominside out. The heat from the closed cooker further causes the flavoringliquid to vaporize. According to embodiments of the present invention,the plurality of circular openings 22, 24, 26, 28 act as steam jetsallowing vapors from the liquid to be released along the outer surface30 for application inside the bird thus contributing flavor and moistureto the bird while the bird cooks.

Although preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus of thepresent invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings anddescribed in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but iscapable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutionswithout departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth anddefined by the following claims.

1. A vertical steamer for flavoring a bird during cooking in a closedcooker, consisting of: a hollow frustum-shaped bottom section having aclosed flat base which does not extend past a perimeter of the bottomsection and an open top for containing a liquid during cooking; a hollowcircular cylindrical-shaped top section extending from the open top ofthe hollw frustum-shaped bottom section and having an open top endthrough which cooking liquid escapes during cooking; and a plurality ofcircular openings located in a wall of the hollw circularcylindrical-shaped top section also through which cooking liquid escapesduring cooking.
 2. The vertical steamer of claim 1, wherein theplurality of circular openings are located in the wall about ¼″ below atop peripheral edge of the open top end of the circularcylindrical-shaped top section.
 3. The vertical steamer of claim 1,wherein the plurality of circular openings are about ¼″ in diameter. 4.The vertical steamer of claim 1, wherein the vertical steamer comprisesno more than four circular openings equally spaced about a perimeter ofthe circular cylindrical-shaped top section.
 5. The vertical steamer ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of circular openings are sized to permitair flow and drainage.
 6. The vertical steamer of claim 1, wherein theplurality of circular openings are sized to assist with display.
 7. Thevertical steamer of claim 1, wherein the circular cylindrical-shaped topsection of the vertical steamer is sized to be placed within a cavity ofthe bird for holding the bird in an upright position.
 8. The verticalsteamer of claim 1, wherein the hollow frustum-shaped bottom section andthe hollow circular cylindrical-shaped top section are formed by aunitary side wall.
 9. A vertical steamer for flavoring a bird duringcooking in a closed cooker, consisting of: a hollow frustum-shapedbottom section having a closed flat base and an open top end; a hollowcircular cylindrical-shaped top section extending from the open top endof the hollow frustum-shaped bottom section and having an open top end;and a plurality of steam openings located in a woll of the hollowcircular cylindrical-shaped top section.
 10. The vertical steamer ofclaim 9, wherein the plurality of openings are located in the wall about¼″ below a top peripheral edge of the open top end of the circularcylindrical-shaped top section.
 11. The vertical steamer of claim 9,wherein the plurality of steam openings are circular.
 12. The verticalsteamer of claim 9, wherein the vertical steamer comprises no more thanfour steam openings.
 13. The vertical steamer of claim 9, wherein theplurality of steam openings are sized to permit air flow and drainage.14. The vertical steamer of claim 9, wherein the plurality of steamopenings are sized to assist with display.
 15. The vertical steamer ofclaim 9, wherein the circular cylindrical-shaped top section of thevertical steamer is sized to be placed within a cavity of the bird forholding the bird in an upright position.
 16. The vertical steamer ofclaim 9, wherein the hollow frustum-shaped bottom section and the hollowcircular cylindrical-shaped top section are formed by a unitary sidewall.
 17. A vertical steamer, consisting of: a unitary side walldefining a hollow cylindrical shape, the shape including a bottomsection coupled to a top section, the bottom section having a circularfrustum shape tapering inwardly and the top section having a circularcylindrical shape extending vertically with an open circular top endallowing for the escape of cooking liquid; a flat base having an outeredge coincident with an outer circumference of a bottom edge of thebottom section of the hollow cylindrical shape to close the bottom edgeof the bottom section of the hollow cylindrical shape for retainingcooking liquid; and a plurality of steam openings located in the unitaryside wall only in the area of the circular cylindrical shape top sectionallowing for the escape of cooking liquid.